The state government is desperately trying to trace Rs 900 crore spent on social security schemes like pensions, public distribution and housing in the last three years.

A two-phase survey concluded that more than two lakh people who received the benefits since 2006 do not exist.

To cover up the issue, the departments came out with a novel proposal to place fake beneficiaries in the “migrated people” column.

The survey found that 1,17,214 people who have ration cards have migrated temporarily and another 1,32,233 people migrated permanently. With respect to housing beneficiaries, 70,087 people migrated temporarily and another 82,238 permanently. The civil supplies department found that 1,26,062 ration cards never existed.

The government has now asked officials to launch the third phase survey in 10,052 villages to check 56 lakh ration cards and 21 lakh pension beneficiaries.